


Union

by rosieblue



Category: Boy Meets World, Girl Meets World
Genre: Bisexual Riley, F/F, F/M, My Godmother and Me part 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-17
Updated: 2017-04-17
Packaged: 2018-10-19 22:33:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10649427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosieblue/pseuds/rosieblue
Summary: "Sounds like you really like her.""It feels...it's amazing, Angie, it's--", she paused a little. "It's different than everything else."





	Union

 

 

 

The first time Angela heard about Sanaz, Riley had just come back from college with Jamila to spend their freshman and junior winter breaks, respectively, back home.

 

Riley had dropped her bags off at her family's currently empty apartment before she joined them at theirs.

 

She floated around the room with a dazed expression, perpetually breaking into giggles every ten minutes.

 

Angela knew something was up when she didn't bother asking where her family was spending their break.

 

She made to ask, but Shawn beat her to it.

 

"What's on your mind, twinkle toes?", Shawn asked with an amused look.

 

Jamila smirked and gave her dad a look.

 

"Riles here hasn't been able to stand still since she met Sanaz."

 

Angela smirked. "Smiley, you got a girlfriend this fast?"

 

"That's my goddaughter!", Shawn said proudly, motioning with the X-Men comic in his hand.

 

Riley smiled, blushing not so slightly, and skipped a little to give Shawn a high-five.

 

 

 

When the day was long over and everyone had gone to bed, Angela went out of her room and decided she wanted a snack.

 

Sliding her feet into her slippers, she untangled herself from her husband's arms and quickly got up.

 

She momentarily tried to remember what was in their fridge, shook her head, and went on the kitchen.

 

"What's up, Angie?"

 

Angela jumped in her place a little. "Jesus, Smiley!"

 

Riley smiled sheepishly. "I didn't mean to scare you. You hungry?"

 

"Yes, I'm getting some cereal", Angela said, returning the smile. "Want some?"

 

"Yeah", Riley said, walking to the counter. "Let me do it, I need something to do with my hands right now."  
 

Angela sat on one of chairs around the kitchen table, shaking her head at her goddaughter. "Alright, what's on your mind?"

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"The cereal's overflowing out of the bowls."

 

"Oh, uh", Riley began, cleaning up the mess. "I'm just thinking about stuff."

 

"College stuff?"

 

Riley titled her head, considering the question. "You could say that?"

 

Angela rolled her eyes. "Well, spill."

 

Riley brought the cereal bowls, now un-overflowing, and sat on the chair in front of Angela's.

 

"Alright", Riley began. "I do have this incredibly difficult physics project and I'm kind of worried about it because the professor's a hardass and everyone says his grades are shit."

 

"And?", Angela prompted.

 

"And what? That's it", Riley said, attempting a confident tone.

 

"Smiley, you're a _horrible_ liar!"

 

"Okay, okay", Riley said, motioning with her arms a little.

 

She looked around the room, before looking at Angela again. "I kinda ~~\--~~ like...my mind keeps going back to Sanaz. All the time."

 

As soon as she said her girlfriend's name, Riley's goofy smile returned.

 

"Is she cute?", Angela said, taking a spoonful of cereal.

 

"Oh my God, Auntie Ang, she's the cutest person I have ever seen!"

 

Riley kept rambling after that, not that Angela stopped her or even wanted to.

 

Angela learned a lot of Sanaz that night.

 

She is a first generation Iranian American. She loves sculpting. She speaks English, Farsi, Spanish, and Swedish. She buys gigantic books and always stops reading them halfway through. She's a Shia Muslim. She bakes the best croissants.

 

By the time Riley was done, and that was a little more than an hour later, her face was a little flushed.

 

Angela smiled as she got up and took their bowls to the sink. "Sounds like you really like her."

 

Riley said, nodding fervently. "It feels...it's amazing, Angie, it's ~~\--~~ ", she paused a little. "It's different than everything else."

 

Angela gave her a sympathetic smile.

 

Riley returned the smile, unsure at first before shaking her apprehension away. "I still haven't told Maya about Sanaz."

 

She left it there without elaboration, hoping Angela could see how awkward it would be to introduce a new girlfriend to an ex-girlfriend who was also her best friend.

 

"She'll be okay, Smiley", Angela said, squeezing her shoulder. "You know Maya; she'll be happy you're happy."

 

 

"But ~~\--~~ ", Riley paused. "I guess you're right...it was just so, so...effortless to talk about crushes and dates before."

 

She smiled then and, perhaps unintentionally, began to talk, well ramble really, about telling Maya about the boys and girls she crushed on, the ones she actually tried to ask out, the ones that she thought were a mistake.

 

Angela scoffed at that last part, which she knew was just another way to say 'Lucas'.

 

"You have to talk about it at some point, Smiley; you're best friends", she said. "I can't even imagine if your mother and I were this scared to talk to each other about the people we dated."

 

Riley raised an eyebrow. "I thought she only dated Dad and this other guy one time?"

 

"She did", Angela said, nodding. "I was the one doing most of the talking." 

 

 

* * *

 

Angela had seen some weird things by the time she made editor-in-chief.

 

 

There was that one time one journalist had an emotional breakdown over his office space being entirely covered in peanut butter, that one time a strawberry farm sent 1500 crates of strawberry to their office, and that unfortunate incident when thirteen goats were unleashed in the building.

 

All in all, she wasn't much phased.

 

Angela concluded that having a peanut butter-covered office space when you're allergic to peanuts as a punishment for cheating was overly light and it didn't really hurt to have a fridge-full of strawberries for three months straight. She tried to suppress the memories of the goats, though.

 

The weirdest and definitely the most nerve-wracking thing was the time Riley Skype call-interrupted an important phone call in a way that made even the beeping seem hysterical.

 

"Hold on, Kholoud", Angela said, sighing exasperatedly. "I'll call you back."

 

Angela answered the Skype call and faced her chattering goddaughter.

 

"What's up, Smiley?"

 

Riley took a deep breath and held her hands to her forehead. "I'm reallyreallyreally sorry, Aunt Angie, but ~~\--~~ "

 

"Slow down, love", Angela said, motioning Riley to calm down.

 

Riley slowed her words down until they stopped, huffing and slightly flushed.

 

She took another deep breath as she regained composure. "Ang, I'm freaking out!"

 

It took all of Angela's energy to not be corny and tell Riley how much she sounded like Topanga just that second.

 

 Instead, she smiled. "I can see that. What's wrong?"

 

"Nothing, nothing", Riley began, extremely unconvincingly. "What could possibly be wrong when you're spending Persian New Year with girlfriend's family, whom you're meeting for the first time!"

 

Angela nodded. So _that's_ what's up.

 

"Okay, first of all, you'll need to rela ~~\--~~ "

 

"I'm completely relaxed!"

 

Angela scoffed. "Then at least let me finish my sentences!"

 

She paused, shaking her head. "Just relax, be yourself, and don't call them by their first names."

 

Riley nodded. "I already know that; Sanaz told me."

 

"So you've talked about it?"

 

"Yeah, but I'm still worried, I mean...what if they don't like me?"

 

"They will, Smiley", Angela said. "You're adorable!"

 

Riley couldn't help but giggle a little at her godmother. "I hope you're right, Auntie Ang."

 

Her eyes suddenly widened. "Oh, oh, I almost forgot to tell you! Zay is coming too; he's dating Sanaz's cousin now!"

 

Angela raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Really? That's a nice coincidence."

 

"It's not", Riley said smugly. "I introduced him to Yara at Sanaz's birthday dinner last year!"

 

 

 

* * *

 

The first dinner between Riley's family and Sanaz's family was lovely and fun at best and slightly awkward at worst, or at least that's how Angela saw it.

 

 

After dating for nearly seven years, the two twenty-five year-olds decided it was about time their families finally met. And so, they proceeded to arrange a nice get-together dinner during Sanaz's family's next trip to New York.

  

The dinner took place at Topanga's café, which was closed for the occasion to the dismay of many college students, and Topanga made sure it was up to standard. 

 

Angela had arrived around 8 o'clock and found the table set, catering brought, and a lovely atmosphere somehow conducted. 

 

"Wow, T, I thought you had work", Angela said, as she greeted her best friend with a hug.

 

Topanga gave her a look. "Come on, Ang, you know me better than that. Nothing but the best."

 

Angela looked around. "I can see that; you somehow set the tone to a night before it began!"

 

Topanga smiled, a little smugly, and checked her phone. "It's 8:15; where is everyone?"

 

"Shawn's running a bit late today", Angela said, setting her bag on the table. "He told me to tell you this before you started planning his murder."

 

Topanga shrugged. "Okay so he's running late, Cory's picking up Auggie and Aria from practice, Jack and Eric are on their way _supposedly_ , and..."

 

She turned to Angela, suddenly jolted. "Where's your other daughter?"

 

"Jamila's on her way, T, calm down", Angela said, squeezing her friend's shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, everyone will be here."

 

"Except Rachel", Topanga said, hands on her hips. "Her great great uncle stayed alive for like a hundred years, but just had to die yesterday!"

 

Failing to stifle her laughter, Angela let it out. "The woman is literally at a funeral right now. That's a shitty thing to say!"

 

Half an hour later, more people have arrived.

 

Jamila arrived first with her new girlfriend Duniya, all smiles and giggles. Followed by Cory, who had just picked Auggie and Aria from their band's practice, and Shawn, who had a gigantic smile and shamelessly confessed that he got the kids a gig at an exclusive nightclub.

 

"You did what?", Topanga said, unsure of whether to be livid or impressed. "You got four 17 year-olds a gig at a nightclub?!"

 

"Relax, Pangy", Shawn began, putting an arm around Angela. "What can go wrong?"

 

Angela gave him a look. "You _did_ hear what she said about them being 17, right?"

 

"Come on, her kid is 18 in a month or so, meaning he's an adult. She shouldn't get to weigh in."

 

"So", Angela began, in an overly light tone. "If our daughter was a year older, she's not supposed to tell us she's going to a nightclub?"

 

"Aria's different."

 

Topanga scoffed at that. "How?"

 

"For starters", he began, tentatively. "She's more responsible than both of us put together."

 

Angela nodded. "He's right about that. I'm pretty sure she gets it from her grandfather."

 

Noticing the looks from both Topanga and Shawn, she added to her sentence. "The one not burning in hell."

 

 

A while later, Jack and Eric arrived with their daughter, Janie, and ~~\--~~

 

"Maya", Topanga greeted, enthusiastically. "I had no idea you were in town!"

 

"Yeah, just got back", Maya said, scratching her neck a little. "I was finished with work so I figured why not drop by?"

 

"Riley told you she and Sanaz were going to be in town, didn't she?", Shawn asked, smirking knowingly.

 

Maya smiled embrassedly, knowing she was caught. "Maybe, maybe not."

 

Topanga had moved on from Maya and was now grilling Janie on the most important part of her life the next few weeks.

 

"Peanuts," Topanga began, with an intense stare. "Where are you with the speech now?"

 

"I'm almost done, but Topanga", Janie said, hesitantly. "They didn't announce who's valedictorian yet?"

 

"You're my niece", Topanga said. "They don't need to ~~\--~~ they're here!"

 

Everyone turned to look at Riley, Sanaz, and Sanaz's family coming through door.

 

"Hey, guys", Riley said, greeting everybody all at once.

 

 

Ten minutes later, everyone was seated and having dinner.

 

Angela was engaged in an entertaining conversation with Topanga and Sanaz's mother, Leila, about the most obscure disco bands of the 70's but somehow managed to get an idea of what was happening around the table.

 

Shawn was chattering excitedly to the kids about their upcoming gig, while Cory, Janie, and Fatima, Sanaz's amused sister, talked dramatically serious about one thing or the other.

 

Angela looked around again, before turning back to her own conversation, and noticed Ismael and Asal, Sanaz's father and other sister, engaged in a four-way conversation with Jack and Eric, laughing every few seconds.

 

A few minutes later, Angela noticed that Jamila, Duniya, Maya, Riley, and Sanaz had left the table.

 

She excused herself and got up, curious, and took a look out of the windows.

 

The girls were sitting on one of the outside tables playing cards.

 

Judging by the spontaneous whoop and kiss Jamila gave Duniya to the booing Sanaz gave her, she was winning.

 

Angela smiled at the sight, wishing that Shawn had his camera on him tonight.

 

She made to leave, but noticed Riley looking at her, with a worried expression.

 

Angela titled her head, and mouthed a _'what's wrong?'_ through the glass only to get a _'stay put, I'm coming'_ gesture from Riley.

 

She kept watch as her goddaughter smiled, got off the table, and made her way through back inside the café.

 

"What's wrong?", Angela asked as soon as Riley walked in.

 

"I'm...I don't know", Riley said, looking a little surprised at her own words.

 

She paused a little, taking time to form her words. "This is going well, isn't it, Aunt Angela?"

 

Angela nodded. "It is, so why are you worrying?"

 

"I don't know", she began. "I just don't think Mom is taking this seriously."

 

"What makes you say that?", Angela asked, fully aware of the reason why.

 

The way Topanga had treated Maya today only made it more obvious.

 

Topanga's treatment of Maya had shifted a little from 'daughter' to 'daughter-in-law' during the year she had dated her daughter and hadn't shifted back since, even after the boyfriends and girlfriends Riley has brought home since.

 

Angela could tell it really hurt her goddaughter, since obviously her relationship with Sanaz was becoming more and more serious by the second.

 

Riley knew too, apparently. "She's acting like Sanaz and I won't last, Angie. And I think we will, we really will and I want her to come to terms with that"

 

"Don't worry about it, Smiley", Angela began, jokingly. "It's just a little Cory rubbing off her. You know how people rub off each other when they stay together for a long time!"

 

Riley shook her head and made a sound that was a mix between a scoff and a laugh. Then, without warning, she hugged Angela.

 

"Thank you, Auntie", she said, head still on her godmother's shoulder. "I love you."

 

 

* * *

 

  
  
  
"Are you ready to go, babe?", Angela asks, quickly putting on her earrings.

"Yeah, Ang, just one second", comes the far-off reply.

Angela smoothed her dress down again and sighs as she heads to the bathroom where she finds Shawn messing with his hair again.

 

Sighing a little, she mentally curses the day Cory decided to dye his hair and started bragging about how he looked five years younger.

 

She stood in the door frame, arms crossed with a smile on her face, without making a sound.

"You look fine, let's head out."

He huffed a little. "No, I don't. I look old."

"You _are_ old, Shawn, your goddaughter is getting married!"

At that last sentence, his face changed to a cross between happiness and nostalgia.

"That happened quickly", he said, looking around the room. "You don't think we'll be like this when and if Jamila or Aria get married, do you?"

"Oh, honey", Angela began. "We'll be much, much _worse_ and I won't be surprised if you started crying seven days before the ceremony."

"Love you too, babe."  
  
  
Shawn took one last look in the mirror before extending his arm. "Shall we?"

  
"Yeah", she says, linking her arm with his. "We don't want raging Maid of Honor Maya and the rest of the crew on our tails."

 

"That would be...", he began, trailing off as he kissed her. "A horrible sight to see."

 

"Maybe a little funny?"

 

"Oh, it'd be more than a little funny."

  

 

 

Their cab dropped them off at the hotel fifteen minutes later and they stepped out a little more than speechless.

 

Shawn spoke first. "The last time we were at a wedding in this hotel the bride and groom got arrested!"

"

Oh, you mean _Harold_ and _Moira_?", Angela said, playing along. "They're certainly doing good for themselves now. Besides, today we're here legally."

 

"Yeah", Shawn said, unconvinced. "Not sure if it's legal, though. Eric _is_ the one who booked the hotel."

 

"Oh my God", Zay said, coming out the gate. "You're still here? Ms. Moore, everyone's calling yo ~~\--~~ I rang you half a dozen times!"

 

Angela's heart sank. "Why? What's wrong?"

 

"Riley needs you upstairs. Says its urgent."

 

Angela nodded and hurriedly made her in, hearing Shawn complementing Zay's suit in the background.

 

 

 

She reached the room Riley was in a few minutes later and found everything in order.

 

Surprised and slightly pissed at being rushed in, she just had to ask. "Smiley, Zay said you needed me?"

 

Riley, who was pacing in her wedding dress, smiled and turned around way too calm for Angela's comfort.

 

"Oh no", Angela began. "You're not chattering as usual; something _is_ wrong! Is the Rabbi not showing up? Oh God, is it the Imam, is he a no-show? Is something wrong with the cake?"

 

"Auntie Ang", Riley said, laughing a little. "Nothing's wrong. Look, can you please sit?"

 

Angela sat on the nearest chair, still waiting for the bomb to drop.

 

"As you know", Riley began, failing to hide her slight dismay. "Dad won't be able to make it in tonight."

 

Angela nodded, although upset at Cory and the fellowship that came at the weirdest time.

  
"And the original plan was to have both my parents walk me down the aisle but one of my parents is not here..."

 

Riley paused, sighing. "I was wondering if maybe you wanted to walk me down the aisle?"

 

Angela, although fully aware of what Riley was saying, didn't feel like she had truly understood her.

 

"Me?"

 

Riley nodded. "Yes, Auntie Ang, I wanted two of my parents to walk me down the aisle and you're my other mother. You know that!"

 

"Oh, Smiley", Angela said, getting up and hugging her. "I would love to."

 

They stayed hugging for a little while longer, until Angela, who was a little teary, noticed the sobs.

 

"Smiley, are you crying?"

 

"Yes!"

 

 

It turns out that Riley wasn't going to be the only crier that night.

 

Topanga cried a little when she fixed her daughter's dress, Angela had cried walking her down the aisle with Topanga, and Shawn and Cory, via Skype, had cried during the vows.

 

 

"They make a beautiful couple", Rachel, who had managed to make it, said as they watched the two brides dance together.

 

"Yes", Topanga agreed, hand on her heart. "They do. Look at my baby!"

 

Angela smiled, but turned around as she heard a faint noise coming from the DJ stand. "You better look at your other baby. He's trying to hook his guitar in."

 

Topanga, still teary-eyed. "Excuse me, guys, I need to go ground someone."

 

Turning around, Topanga made to move, but stopped as she heard a glass tapping sound.

 

"Mila's making a speech", Shawn said.

 

They all turned to see where he was pointing and saw Jamila standing in the center of the same spot her father stood during another wedding many years ago with a wine glass in her hand.

 

"Okay, guys", Jamila began with a watery smile. "I don't want to get sappy but I probably will and okay, I just want to tell you that the first time I met Sana ~~\--~~ "

 

A rude cough interrupted Jamila's speech as Eric made it to the center.

 

"I don't want to unnecessarily _alarm_ anyone", Eric began, alarming everyone. "But it appears that I sort of, maybe ~~ _\--_~~ "

 

"Eric forgot to pay the rest of the deposit", Jack said, interrupting his husband. "There will be cops here in about ten minutes. This is why we asked you to kindly bring running shoes!"

 

Shawn gave Angela a look. "Told you so."

 

She lightly pushed him, before taking his hand and hurrying out the door.

 

"Oh shut up!"


End file.
